I have used the stuff a couple of times. I lost weight the 2 or 3 time I was on it. It did make me a little jittery, but not too bad. I guess it was mainly the feeling of having more energy. I did follow the gradual increase in dosage as directed. My doc told me to lay off the caffine, so I don't take the stuff anymore.

Used it, but it was the ephedra included formula. Your plan will work without the Hydroxycut. Eat sensibly and exercise. You need to work a rest day or 2 into your schedule. Your muscles need recovery time.

I've heard a lot of horror stories about Hydro-Cut in its epherdra days. I'm not so sure what it would do without the epherdra in it, after all that is what made it work. I suspect that it now contains a epherdra like substance that has not been banned (yet).

The only real tried and true way to lose weight, get in better shape and stay that way is, as ajay says above, is proper eating and exercise.

You can go down the supplement road, like many have, but I'm sure you will soon find out, like again most peole have, that the only real thing these supplement companies are good at is marketing.

Also working out 7 days week is a bad thing two, three days tops a week. Do as much research into the subject as you can before starting a workout program. Just stay away from the muscle mags, they tend to be nothing more than ads for supplement companies. The best advice I got is when getting info from a source ask youself is the author trying to sell me something? If so, chances are its bad advice.

The dangers of ephedra are highly overrated. The current formulation of Hydroxy is total crap. You should however be able to find ephedra now. Get some and make yourself a good ol fashioned ECA. Ephedra, Caffeine, and Aspirin. This WILL speed up your body's metabolism.

That is if you have in fact decided to chemically enhance your program. I agree with everyone who suggests that you do not.

The fellowship of brothers of one mind is stronger than any fortified city. - Antisthenes

I have not lost any weight yet but I have improved my abilities alot. I just started Biking in March and I have gone from 15 to 40 miles scence March and I feel good. I have replaced some fat with mussel. My legs are 1" bigger and I am becoming more defined.. I have beat these forums to death trying to find the good way to loose weight and I gave up so I just done what I thought was best,( cut back on the amounts. eat 2 more meals a day. Keep calories in under calories out. Stay away from white starch foods and simple carbs. Get your carbs from complex carb foods. dont eat after 8 pm and get at least 8 hours sleep) I will confess that I do drink 8 oz of Whey Protien before and after a long ride. Whey is absorbed fast but does not raise your blood sugar levels. Just dont give up hope and keep working at it.. Just stay away from the simple carbs and keep a close eye on the fat. Get good amount of protien But the big one is total calories. Just do it slow and it will not come back!!!!!! Remember, if it realy worked as good as they say it does, the stores couldn't would always be out and it would be all over the news as the "Miracle Pill" and nobody would be fat anymore!!!!
Hope this helps!!

Ride hard and there will no room for: "I wish I would have".. Looking back is always 20/20

Don't use that crap. When I was lifting a lot in high school I used it and I got a kidney stone and I got really sick from it. Also it's bad for your heart, just go riding. It will speed up your metabolism.

The dangers of ephedra are highly overrated. The current formulation of Hydroxy is total crap. You should however be able to find ephedra now. Get some and make yourself a good ol fashioned ECA. Ephedra, Caffeine, and Aspirin. This WILL speed up your body's metabolism.

That is if you have in fact decided to chemically enhance your program. I agree with everyone who suggests that you do not.

This is true. Ephedra will not give you heart attacks or cause an irregular heart beat. It's an herb that's been used for thousands of years.

If you decide to use it, don't take more than the recommended dosage because it won't help you lose weight any faster. Also, excercise while taking it. Weight loss won't happen with just a pill.

I took ephedra for about year and along with a pretty rigorous work out routine, went from 260 to 180. When the ephedra ran out, I kept excercising and maintained the 180 pretty well. After getting my office job and not having time to get to the gym after work, I gained it all back pretty quickly. Right now I'm down to 230 with just cycling and trying to eat better. I know I'll get there, but I sometimes wish I could use that ephedra again to help.

I found that the product I was using (stacker 2) gave me enough energy to motivate me to excersise and helped supress my appetite. If you want to supplement your excersise program with an ECA stack, you should be quite safe to do so. (unless your doctor says otherwise)

teh ephedra free stuff is loaded w/ caffine, makes your heart race and and makes you jittery. I talked to my doc about it and he said that stuff is basically genreic sudafed--same crap they use to make meth

teh ephedra free stuff is loaded w/ caffine, makes your heart race and and makes you jittery. I talked to my doc about it and he said that stuff is basically genreic sudafed--same crap they use to make meth

Sudafed (or the generics) contains pseudoephedrine (see where they get the name?). The pseudo-ephedrine can be chemically manipulated to yield actual ephedrine (the active chemical in ephedra-based products) which can be chemically manipulated to yield methamphetamine (meth, crank, etc). The quantity of pseudoephedrine necessary to make any significant quantity of meth is substantial (as in thousands of tablets to yield just a few ounces of meth). Thinking sudafed (or ephedrine) is bad because you can make meth out of it is like saying grains are bad because you can make cheeseburgers out of them. The (pseudo)ephedrine is just one of many ingredients in the process, and one of the least harmful.

If the product is ephedra-free, it does NOT contain these products, and therefore cannot be used to make meth.

I ride my bike in the hilly regions and I've lost 8 pounds in about 6 weeks without trying, and this is with 4 birthdays celebrated and Mother's Day with cakes and everything. When I told him, he just got this look on his face and tuned me out. I keep telling him that stuff is a gimmick and good exercise is going to solve his weight issues, not some Anna Nicole pill in a bottle diet.

Lift some weights and increase your cardio. Then you'll be much more successful.

P.S. By the way, how do you know if you have a really slow metabolism? I used to say that too, then I had my doctor specifically test my thyroid. When I got the results back, I was shocked. My thyroid is fine and works really well... shockingly well. She suggested I up my exercise and watch my diet. She was right.

If you think your metabolism is slow, get it tested by a doctor to confirm this before you make assumptions.

the only way to increase metabololism is to increase temperature or resting heart rate.
Heart rate and blood pressure are closely linked and the last thing you want is a higher blood pressure or heart rate when your maxing out on a hill.
Most of these products used to be Ephedra (speed) and now are herbal varients of similar chemicals. Also in the stack were caffine and asperin. Good way to blow a blood vessel.
The other problem is the vasoconstriction, which happens in cardiac vessels as well. That's how heart attacs happen.

Don't mess with hydroxycut. It's not that great and it makes you really jittery and irritable. Almost all the fat burners out now are just caffeine pills with a few herbs in them. The good stuff is hard to find, but if you can get ahold of something with Ephedra in it(assuming your body can handle it also) that will help, but I wouldnt suggest trying it.

the only way to increase metabololism is to increase temperature or resting heart rate.
Heart rate and blood pressure are closely linked and the last thing you want is a higher blood pressure or heart rate when your maxing out on a hill.
Most of these products used to be Ephedra (speed) and now are herbal varients of similar chemicals. Also in the stack were caffine and asperin. Good way to blow a blood vessel.
The other problem is the vasoconstriction, which happens in cardiac vessels as well. That's how heart attacs happen.

(that's why there have been deaths...)

Avoid avoid avoid.

There are lots of ways to increase your "metabolism" in the sense that most people view the term. Resistance training, or even eating more frequently for example. You are correct about ephedra. But there are many potentially dangerous drugs that when used properly and intelligently can produce excellent results. Acetaminophen for example... Everything has it's risks. The risks of ephedrine, and ephedra ARE highly overrated. More people have died from Acetaminophen than ephedra. Wanna pull Tylenol off the shelves because a few stupid people can't read directions? I have friends who have used DNP to lose weight. Dangerous? Of course. Effective? Definitely. If you ask me. "Does it work?" I will answer honestly.

The fellowship of brothers of one mind is stronger than any fortified city. - Antisthenes

I am planning on starting a weight loss regimen, I have really slow metabolism so it's hard for me to burn fat I guess.

Anyway, I saw the Hydroxy-Cut ad in a magazine and they have one product that's supposed to increase metabolism.

It's ephedra-free, but my worry is if it's going to give me an irregular heartbeat and kill me.

Anyway, I'm going to change my diet, which is the main thing, eat more vegetables and fruit and less rice, bread, potatoes and pasta, and try to work out 7 days a week (not just cycling).

Should I try the Hydroxy-Cut? Or is it a bad idea?

There are no magic pills, elixars, potions or powders. Fads won't work. There is no McDiet. They are all designed for the sole purpose of taking money out of your pocket and putting it into someone elses.

I will never step foot inside another Bicycle Garage Indy as long as I live! They don't honor their advertised prices. Screw 'em.